MONSTER HDMI CABLES... Are they really as good as they say? Opinions please..

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › MONSTER HDMI CABLES... Are they really as good as they say? Opinions please..

cgrew

860 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#60516 27-Apr-2010 11:26

Hi all I have a regular discussion with my work mate (pageweon) about the Monster HDMI cables and we seem to get nowhere with our arguments.. please help! He seems to argue that the speed rating on Monster's high end cables is rubbish and that the price of them is seriously not worth it. I agree with him on some of the pricing of Monster's HDMi cables but I disagree with the speed capabilities of them.

I argue that it's better to have a cable that certifies full 1080P and 120+hz and also supports HDMI 1.4 for future products. The speed test that Monster certifies makes sense to me but is it really a load of BS which pageweon seems to think it is.

Here's the link to Monster's speed test: http://www.monstercable.com/hdmi/advanced_for_hdmi.asp

And secondly I think it is better to invest in a cable that has good sheilding and gold plated connectors which the Monster cables do have.

What is your opinion on the matter...?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ... | 7

BDFL - Memuneh
80657 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41064

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#323479 27-Apr-2010 11:28

It's digital, not analogue. 0s and 1s. That's all that matter. Get the $25 HDMI cable and it ill do the same.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 267

Trusted

#323483 27-Apr-2010 11:31

I agree with your workmate. What you say makes some sense, but if all I'm doing is conencting my PS3 to my amp and a cheap cable works, what's the problem? Sure it doesn't do 1.4, but then neither does the PS3 or the amp. If my needs change in the future, I can buy another cheap cable in the future that does the job then.

Why future proof a cable that can be bought so cheaply right now? For the price of one "future proof" cable I could buy half a dozen or more cheapies that do just as well.

It's a different argument once the cable is going in a wall, for example. It's not easily replaced, so put the best you can afford I guess. Over long distances I might buy better quality, but in the end I'd just get the cheapest cable that did the job well. I doubt that would be Monster.

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#323485 27-Apr-2010 11:33

+1

The only time I will dish out good coin for an HDMI cable is when;

a) It needs to be put inside a wall, and replacing it would be a royal pain. Get a good one first up, less likely to have issues with connectors etc.

b) When it needs to go a fair distance. A cheap 10m HDMI cable does not perform as well as a good one. (I use Profigold cables - have seen a 15m cable running perfectly).

Doesn't mean you have to pay Monster's prices though. a good 10m HDMI cable should cost $150-$300 depending on how much markup you are being charged.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2526
Inactive user

#323492 27-Apr-2010 11:40

Monster cable is just a brand there is nothing special about the cables and people are foolish to be taken in by the hype and pay the stupid prices

patatrat

261 posts

Ultimate Geek

#323494 27-Apr-2010 11:42

trig42:
a good 10m HDMI cable should cost $150-$300 depending on how much markup you are being charged.

IMHO a good 10m HDMI cable should cost 1 tenth of that.

JAMMAN2110

872 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 4

Trusted

#323496 27-Apr-2010 11:46

HDMI is / uses digital signals. Unless your cable is going into an area with high levels of interference you can get away with pretty much anything.

http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/the-rip1/

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

cgrew

860 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#323500 27-Apr-2010 11:52

freitasm: It's digital, not analogue. 0s and 1s. That's all that matter. Get the $25 HDMI cable and it ill do the same.

What about shielding? The cheap $25 HDMI cables have crap sheilding and poor plates. Also being a Monster cable owner I noticed a big difference going from a cheap Pudney 1m HDMI cable to Monster's HD1000 HDMI cable.

Colour was pretty much the same but the Monster cable ran better then the Pudney on my Sony Bravia KDL-W4500 LCD TV with 100hz motion flow - a cable that supports 120hz would be better don't you think?

wellygary

8813 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5293

#323502 27-Apr-2010 11:56

freitasm: It's digital, not analogue. 0s and 1s. That's all that matter. Get the $25 HDMI cable and it ill do the same.

+1 on the " dont fall for the hype over expensive digital cables"

If you do think that monster digidal cables look and sound better, I have some gold plated IEC power leads that will help to ensure that you receive the cleanest AC feed possible :)

Oh wait, I see that monster also manufacture these and will sell you one for $100 USD
http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=1072

pageweon

393 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 8

#323503 27-Apr-2010 11:56

yesyesyes the cable is well shielded and well built and "certified" with a low resistance

but in the end at 1 metre long there will be no noticable difference at all

....none

this is where a signature goes

cgrew

860 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#323507 27-Apr-2010 12:02

pageweon: yesyesyes the cable is well shielded and well built and "certified" with a low resistance

but in the end at 1 metre long there will be no noticable difference at all

....none

Nooo pageweon! There is a difference - have you not heard of build quality? Obviously a cable that has better build quality is going to be far better off in the long run against any 'cheap' cables.

Picture will still be the same but what about the support of 120hz..

cokemaster

Exited
4937 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1089

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#323510 27-Apr-2010 12:05

This article doesn't refer to HDMI, but is an interesting read.... http://consumerist.com/2008/03/do-coat-hangers-sound-as-good-monster-cables.html

webhosting

Loose lips may sink ships - Be smart - Don't post internal/commercially sensitive or confidential information!

Dyson

Shop now for Dyson appliances (affiliate link).

cgrew

860 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#323516 27-Apr-2010 12:10

cokemaster: This article doesn't refer to HDMI, but is an interesting read.... http://consumerist.com/2008/03/do-coat-hangers-sound-as-good-monster-cables.html

Yes that is all very interesting but how convenient is it to use a coat hanger as your speaker cable? And that is for sound my friend not video.

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 267

Trusted

#323518 27-Apr-2010 12:10

cgrew: Colour was pretty much the same but the Monster cable ran better then the Pudney on my Sony Bravia KDL-W4500 LCD TV with 100hz motion flow - a cable that supports 120hz would be better don't you think?

Seriously? You think there was a difference? Then, that's great. Stick to your Monster cable and believe it was worth the extra money. That's the only thing that really matters.

If you're looking for other people to make you feel better about your purchase then I think you've come to the wrong place.

Bung

6733 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2926

Subscriber

#323529 27-Apr-2010 12:18

The Australian Choice magazine used the same test that Consumer based an article on. Consumer attempted to rate the cables for picture quality whereas Choice stated

" Various combinations of up to four of the supplied cables are tried, using three joiners. No effects on the picture were seen. The maximum length tried from the supplied cables was 26m. Finally, by adding two generic 5m cables to cables used in the test, making the cable length 33m, we could discern “sparklies” (small white pixels not in the original footage) on close inspection of a 1080p video source. When the video was reduced to 720p the errant pixels disappeared.

If you have room for a 33m cable run you probably don't worry about cost :)

cgrew

860 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#323536 27-Apr-2010 12:26

bazzer:
cgrew: Colour was pretty much the same but the Monster cable ran better then the Pudney on my Sony Bravia KDL-W4500 LCD TV with 100hz motion flow - a cable that supports 120hz would be better don't you think?

Seriously? You think there was a difference? Then, that's great. Stick to your Monster cable and believe it was worth the extra money. That's the only thing that really matters.

If you're looking for other people to make you feel better about your purchase then I think you've come to the wrong place.

I'm not the only one that agrees there is a noticable difference with the Monster cables against the cheap ones. And absolutely not, I'm carefull in what I buy and I prefer to get a cable of better build qualty - speaker and video.

What's better an HD ready TV or a FULL HD 1080p TV? Some will ague they both look the same.. they are both outputting a digital signal aren't they? But there is a difference in the digital reproduction of the picture.

Read this mate: http://gizmodo.com/266616/the-truth-about-monster-cable

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ... | 7